


two plus two equals five

by thejester



Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: Anyways, F/M, I wrote this in an hour after not writing for ages, M/M, poor communication was the real villain all along, so maybe I'm the only one who'll find it funny but that's a chance I'm willing to take, while sick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-24 00:39:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16629566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thejester/pseuds/thejester
Summary: Vivi adds two and two together and gets five.Or, one of the reasons why erasing your girlfriend's memory might make getting back together with her a little challenging.





	two plus two equals five

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy! Or don't! You do you.
> 
> This assumes Arthur and Lewis were able to talk things out right after Arthur got chucked off a cliff.
> 
> 11/18/18 Update: Holy shit guys, I thought this would get maybe two comments at the most. I'm seriously blown away, thank you all so much!

Seeing a mystical Japanese dryad lady was probably a solid number four on Vivi’s list of Coolest Shit Ever.  Number Three was Mystery!  Turning into a kitsune!  And tearing into the dryad lady?? 

It might be the concussion talking, but this was turning into one of the best days _ever_. 

Number Two on her list was the weirdly handsome, well-dressed ghost from the mansion.  Only he was trying to kill Artie, so that automatically blocked him from the Number One spot.  Not cool. 

But Number One, Number One was absolutely the relief she felt seeing Arthur climb out of the very obviously possessed truck, rumpled but alive, and—

Clinging to the handsome ghost? 

Well, okay, this was probably a good change? 

“Vivi!” Arthur shouted, grinning wildly and practically bouncing his way over to her, flesh arm still wrapped around the ghost’s muscular bicep.  It was so nice seeing him happy for once.

She quietly began checking for the common signs of possession.

“Vivi,” Arthur said almost breathlessly, dried tear tracks visible now that he was closer, “it’s Lewis!”

“Lewis” gave a little wave.  He’d let Arthur tug him over to them and he seemed to be staring at her expectantly.  It made Vivi a little uncomfortable.  She hated feeling like people wanted things from her but then wouldn’t explain _what_ they wanted, so she had no idea if she was doing enough.  If she was enough. 

It had only gotten worse after this Lewis guy had disappeared.  Or, well, died. 

That was a pretty good excuse to not be around. 

But none of that was important now!  She a real, live ghost… wait, no.  She had a real ghost right in front of her! 

This was awesome!

“I,” she started, “have so many questions!  Can I touch you?  How do your powers work?”  She reached for the specter’s unoccupied hand, oohing and ahhing over how solid he felt.  This was so cool! 

Arthur coughed the way you do when you’re trying to get someone’s attention.  Vivi looked up, realizing she miiiiight have gotten carried away.  The ghost- Lewis- looked amused and melancholy at the same time, somehow.  Right. 

“Vi, c’mon, this is Lewis, you know?  The guy we’ve been searching for?  He’s not just any old terrifying cryptid, he’s—”

“— _Our_ terrifying cryptid!” Vivi finished for him.  Arthur and Lewis gave her the same Look.  Something in her settled, and she laughed.  “Guys, I’m joking.  I know that Lewis was like, our best friend?”  That’s what she’d been able to glean, anyways.  The psychiatrists had told her not to rush her memory, that it would come back naturally and when it wanted to.  People were discouraged from giving her hints, but that was fine.  She wasn’t a (paranormal) detective for nothing!

“I was a little more than that,” Lewis told her in a wonderfully gravelly voice. 

Vivi took a step back, really taking him in, really absorbing everything about the situation.  He must have been important to her and Arthur, there was no doubt of that.  And look how hard Arthur searched for him!  The guy barely rested, always ready to pounce on the next clue, always trying to be cheerful for her but still so untouchably sad.  He’d really missed Lewis.  Lewis had tried to kill him (and she needed to figure out what was happening there) and Arthur just up and forgave him, too?  And not just forgave him, Arthur was clinging to him!

They’d been in the truck for a while, while she and Mystery were dealing with the dryad.  Arthur had come out looking bedraggled, face and clothes a mess…

Wait. 

WAIT. 

“Oh my god,” Vivi squealed, “you’re Arthur’s boyfriend!!!”

They stared at her, undoubtedly in shock because she’d put it together so quickly. 

“Um,” Lewis eloquently replied, stunned by her deductive prowess. 

“It all makes so much sense!” she gushed.  “Arthur, you were so driven to find him!  To bring him home!  And now that he’s here, you can’t keep your hands to yourself!”  She squinted at him.  “Or, no, your hand.  What happened to your prosthetic, dude?  Did you… wear it out in the backseat?”  She waggled her eyebrows meaningfully. 

Lewis made a sound like he was dying.  Again. 

He must be a terribly shy boy.  Cute.

“We’ll have girl talk later, Arthur,” she stage whispered, “I want all the juicy details.”

“Vi- Vivi, no, no, it’s not like that,” Arthur sputtered.  “He might be exactly my type but that doesn’t mean we’re _dating_.  He’s _your_ boyfriend!”

Vivi burst out laughing. 

Lewis quietly repeated, “exactly your type?”  No one answered him.

“That… that sounded more convincing in my head,” Arthur admitted. 

“I’m sure it did,” Vivi cooed. 

Lewis moved to take her hand in his.  Vivi stopped laughing.  “…Was it just Arthur being Arthur, or is the idea of me being your boyfriend really that laughable?”

She patted his hand gently, and just as gently let go.  “It’s nothing personal, but I mean.  All the signs are there.  And honestly?  I don’t think I would date someone with anger management problems as bad as yours.  You tried to _kill_ Arthur.  What was _up_ with that?”

Whoops, guess it was personal after all.

He looked heartbroken.  “Vivi… is that really what you think?”

“Wait,” Arthur cut in, “are you saying _I’d_ date someone with murder issues?”

Lewis turned to glare at him.  There were those anger issues again.  “You're one to talk, Kingsman,” he said at the same time Vivi replied, “You’re a great guy, but you don’t make good choices.  Seriously, when’s the last time you slept?”

Arthur scoffed, rubbing at the bags under his eyes.  “That’s- that’s not relevant!  I don’t want to hear about poor life choices from someone who puts barbeque sauce on pistachio ice cream!”

Lewis physically gagged, head whipping around to her.  “You _what_?”

Vivi gasped.  “You still have a gag reflex?  Do you need to eat?”  She patted Arthur consolingly on the shoulder.  “Bad news for you though.”

“Why is that bad news for OH MY GOD VIVI NO.”  Arthur buried his face in his hand.  “Why are you like this,” he whispered. 

“You love it.”

Arthur whimpered, but he didn’t disagree.  Point for Vivi.

“I’m afraid to even ask this at this point, but what did you guys even eat while I was.  Indisposed.  Please don’t tell me it was—”

“Surf’s Up Surprise Pizza.”

“Ramen.”

“And what else?” Lewis asked pleadingly.  Desperately. 

Vivi and Arthur looked at each other.

“Oh my god,” Lewis said softly. 

“Holy shit,” Vivi breathed, realization dawning.  “Can you cook?”  This was almost as exciting as meeting a ghost.

“Oh, he can cook alright!” Arthur obviously bragged about his obvious boyfriend, who was turning lavender at the praise.  “He used to work in a restaurant and trust me, you loved his food.  You once proposed to him over a burrito.  It’s the second best thing you’ll ever eat.”  That definitely sounded like something she’d do. 

“Second best?  Arthur, don’t tell me you think the best thing is that nasty pizza.”

“Nasty?  Surf’s Up Surprise Pizza is a modern work of culinary art, Lewis.  You just refuse to see reason.”

Vivi couldn’t help it.  She started giggling.  Watching them slip into what sounded like an old, comfortable argument despite time and distance and mortality keeping them apart was too cute.  She hoped that one day she’d be able to find someone and have a relationship like theirs. 

There was only one thing ruining this moment.  This niggling, unshakable feeling like she’d forgotten something important.  Aside from Arthur’s boyfriend.  “Now, what could it be…”

Mystery slammed the tree woman down in front of them, snarling, multiple tails sparking red electricity as he tried to bury his newly revealed fangs into her throat.  The dryad snarled back just as viciously, jabbing her shears at any part of Mystery she could reach. 

“Oh yeah,” Vivi chirped, reaching for her baseball bat at her feet while purple flames gathered around Lewis.  “That.”

Best.  Day.  Ever. 

**Author's Note:**

> Roses are red,  
> Vivi is blue,  
> Kudos are great,  
> Reviews are too.


End file.
